Lust's Deception
by sweetcatastr0phe
Summary: Ginny has been noticing some strange changes in her feelings toward Mr Malfoy. As always, reviews much appreciated! :-)


Lust's Deception  
A/N: Sorry to all those Malfoy/Ginny haters, but I actually like writing this couple. It's an interesting endeavor! And this is just a kind of fun sort of piece (to write, anyway, not necessarily to read!) Not meant to be poetical or deep! :-)  
  
***  
  
Ginny sighed, rubbed her eyes and carefully rolled up her Potions essay. Snape had asked for 2 feet on Befuddling Draughts and she was still three inches short. She seriously doubted if there was even that much information in their text book (or anywhere else for that matter) on Befuddling Draughts.  
  
She glanced around the deserted Common Room. The fire had died down considerably, to almost nothing more than glowing embers so she knew that it must be late. Her eyes were burning with fatigue and from trying to focus on her parchment. She couldn't wait to fall into bed. It would be a welcome relief from the stress of schoolwork.  
  
She was just gathering all of her things together when she heard footsteps and the soft mutter of voices. Harry, Ron and Hermione, no doubt. They were the only ones who ever endeavored to venture out of the Common Room at night. Everyone else was too afraid of being caught and punished.  
  
Ginny braced herself for the sight of Harry, but, to her chagrin, he never appeared. She heard the voices more clearly (definitely the trio) and she heard their footsteps but she couldn't see them. It took her a moment to realize they were under the invisibility cloak.  
  
"Harry, are you sure we should be doing this? What if -"  
  
"Hermione, we've done this a zillion times before!"  
  
"Yes, but Ron, what if we run into one of the teachers?"  
  
Ginny smiled slightly at the exasperation in her brother's voice. "Hermione, how many times have we run into teachers while wandering the hallways?"  
  
"Too many." Her tone was dark.  
  
There was no answer. Apparently, the youngest Weasley brother had decided not to waste his time.  
  
Ginny idly wondered what they were doing this time. Some daring dragon escape? Sneaking into the Restricted Section? Off to trick Malfoy into a months' worth of detentions?  
  
This last thought made her heart skip oddly. She had noticed that the mere mention of Malfoy's name lately had been making her act a bit . . . strange. When she saw him, it was even worse. Her mouth went dry as wood, her knees shook and she was overcome by the strangest urge to run over and kiss him. These were not feelings that she liked. She didn't even want to admit to herself what they meant, but she did, reluctantly; she was attracted to Malfoy!  
  
She was quick to defend herself. Who wouldn't be attracted to Malfoy? He was tall and blond and his eyes reflected the alluring hint of danger. There was an aura about him; an aura of majesty and power. It showed in the way he walked, the way he held his head and shoulders, the way he looked at others. He thought he was above them; and why shouldn't he? He was nearly perfect.  
  
Ginny shook herself, shocked at the way she was thinking. This wasn't good. Not at all. No one should be having thoughts like that about Malfoy, especially not the younger sister of Ron and the girl who was supposedly in love with Harry Potter.  
  
Harry. Harry was a good topic for thought. Get her away from these evil thoughts involving Malfoy. Thoughts that she never wanted to have again.  
  
Black hair. Green eyes. Lightning bolt scar . . . Lean muscles. Power. Strength. Hate. Cold, grey eyes . . .  
  
Feeling angry at herself, Ginny gathered her things together, noticing belatedly that the other three had left, and made her way up to her dorm. She dropped everything unceremoniously into her trunk and then collapsed onto her bed, not even bothering to change.  
  
She knew that sleep would give her no refuge tonight.  
  
***  
  
The next morning, Ginny was pale and crabby from lack of sleep. She had been up all night, treacherous thoughts of Malfoy filling her head.  
  
She was silent as she joined Harry, Ron and Hermione at the breakfast table. She didn't feel like talking; she felt that anything that came out of her mouth would betray her to those she cared about. She hoped that if she simply let it alone, simply denied that it existed except in the deepest part of her heart, then maybe it would go away.  
  
But she couldn't help the way her eyes drifted over to him while she sat, lost in thought, chewing absent-mindedly on a piece of toast. His eyes flicked over her for a second and she blanched, frozen to the spot in her embarrassment. He had just caught her staring at him. Tiny, good- hearted, shy Ginny Weasley staring at hateful, spiteful, powerful Draco Malfoy.  
  
She blushed crimson as a sunset.  
  
Harry noticed first. "Ginny, what's the matter?"  
  
She didn't answer. Usually, the very fact that he was showing any concern for her would have gratified her deeply, but right now, she could not concentrate on anything other than the golden deity before her. The one that was staring at her now, too. The one who was not sneering, but merely nodding slightly, a small smile touching his lips.  
  
"Ginny?" Hermione prodded. Then, obviously using her female intuitive powers, she followed Ginny's gaze and understanding dawned on her face. "Oooh."  
  
Harry and Ron shot her quizzical looks, begging her to fill them in, but, much to Ginny's appreciation, she said nothing. She merely ate her breakfast calmly, in silence, casting Ginny a questioning look of her own before standing up, saying goodbye and heading off to Arithmancy.  
  
Ginny was late for her first class, Draco's smile still firmly engraved upon her mind.  
  
***  
  
Ginny was a happy girl as she walked into the Common Room later that evening. She whistled softly, swinging her bag and smiling. Draco had smiled at her. A full-fledged smile. Bright and showing all his teeth. A perfect smile. It had set her heart to thumping at a frightful pace.  
  
But her mood was not to last. She was met by a cacophany of noise from the only three people in the room; Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Ron and Harry were yelling at each other, though Ginny couldn't quite make her brain interpret what they were saying. It took a moment for it to sink in.  
  
"But Harry, it's Malfoy!" Ron fumed, throwing his hands in the air. "My baby sister was making eyes at Malfoy!"  
  
Harry nodded, trying to keep himself calm but failing miserably. "Yes, Ron, I realize that it's Malfoy, but Ginny's not a little kid anymore. She's almost fourteen. She's old enough to make her own decisions. You can't stop her from being attracted to Malfoy anymore than I can stop you from being attracted to Hermione."  
  
Ginny shook her head, grinning. Low blow, Harry, she thought to herself. Ron was staring at her, open mouthed, unable to say anything. Harry just gave him a look and sank into an arm chair. That was when he noticed her.  
  
All three of them jumped up. Ron looked about ready to start in on her, but both Harry and Hermione held him back. Ginny nodded at the two of them.  
  
"Thank you, Harry, for noticing that I am not a little girl anymore. I can, in fact, make my own decisions." She looked her brother square in the eye. "I have no future with Draco. I have no chance with him. We have hardly ever spoken a civil word to one another, let alone entertained any romantic fancy for one another. Yes, I am attracted to him. No, I am not going to go after him."  
  
Then she turned and stalked out of the room, feeling a little bit better for it but a little bit worse for lying. "He just doesn't understand," she muttered as she pulled out her diary and began to write.  
  
***  
  
The next morning dawned cold and grey. Ginny felt it suited her mood perfectly.  
  
She dressed quickly, pulling her robes over her head and hurrying downstairs with her bag slung over her arm. She was not watching where she was going. She was too preoccupied with melancholy thoughts.  
  
Which was why she didn't notice the blond boy that was hurrying down the hall in the opposite direction. They collided, smashing heads and falling to the floor in a tangle of limbs. She stared at him for a moment, completely embarrassed, but somehow happy to find herself like this with him.  
  
The illusion, however, was shattered when he shook himself loose and exploded, "What do you think you're doing? I was walking there!" he snapped and Ginny stared at him in consternation. "Jeez, where does a Weasley get off thinking she can get in my way?"  
  
Ginny felt her eyes brimming with tears as she pushed past him, hurt. But, oddly, not shattered. Her feelings were bruised, that was for sure, but she didn't really care. She just hated the fact that he had gone so far as to think he was better than her just because he was a Malfoy and she was a Weasley.  
  
Her friends noticed her subdued mood when she sat down. Hermione understood instantly, patting her hand sympathetically. Harry and Ron, as always, were in the dark. Ginny looked at them, then lowered her head and muttered, "Malfoy's such a jerk."  
  
Ron instantly brightened and Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the expression on his face. "Yes, Ron, you have your little sister back." She shot a dark glance at the Slytherin table. "And she won't ever be overcome by the seduction of darkness again."  
  
She let her words wash over them, ominously, then smiled brightly, stabbing a sausage with her fork and shoving it into her mouth.  
  
She was famished.  
  
THE END 


End file.
